Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
One day, when large crowds were walking along with Jesus, he turned and said to them, “If you come to me, unwilling to sacrifice your love for your father and mother, your spouse and children, your brothers and sisters, and indeed yourself, you cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not follow me, carrying his own cross, cannot be my disciple. Do you build a house without first sitting down to count the cost, to see whether you have enough to complete it? Otherwise, if you, have laid the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone will make fun of you: ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ And when a king wages war against another king, does he go to fight without first sitting down to consider whether his ten thousand can stand against the twenty thousand of his opponent? And if not, while the other is still a long way off, he sends messengers for peace talks. In the same way, none of you may become my disciple, if he doesn’t give up everything he has.
Reflection:
"The cost of love is sacrifice."
Read: The Book of Wisdom reflects on the limits of human reasoning in contrast to the mind of God. Saint Paul’s letter to Philemon discusses forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus teaches us that following him involves the cost of self-sacrifice.
Reflect: When I was ordained, my parents each wrote their own message on a greeting card. My Dad wrote, “We are very proud of you, but only you will know the cost.” They understood that accepting God’s call to be a priest had its many joys but also its share of sacrifices, as one lays aside one’s own plans, and accepts being sent to different locations. Underneath our individual vocations lies the general call to be the Lord’s disciple. We all have sacrifices to make in following Christ, as the sincerity of our discipleship is expressed through acts of love and dedication for others in all sorts of circumstances. The cost of love is sacrifice, of offering oneself for the good of another. This is the way of the Lord. The cost of this self-giving love is also counted in being willing to forgive, as this opens the door to new possibilities rather than simply rehearsing old grudges.
Pray: Pray for reconciliation with someone who is at odds with you.
Act: Do something for another that you have been putting off.
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